Date: July 12, 2009
Author:

LPGA – AUSSIE WRIGHT ON SONG FOR TILT AT US OPEN

(10 July 2009 – Bethlehem, Pennsylvania)

rn

ALPG Member Lindsey Wright moved into the Top-10 and in contention midway through the US Women&aposs Open being played at the Saucon Valley Country Club in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

rn

Wright was one of only six players to break par in the second round on this most challenging layout when she posted a aecond round of1-under 70 par.  This saw her move up the leaderboard and into a tie for 8th at 2-over par total 144.  She is only five shots behind American Cristie Kerr who sits atop the leaderboard at 3-under par total.  Kerr also posted a 1-under par 70 today to go with her opening round of 2-under par 69.

rn

Kerr, who has won this event before takes a one shot advantage into the weekend over compatriot Paula Creamer.  Creamer carded an impressive 3-under par 68 today to move to 2-under total.  Another American Jean Reynolds is a further shot behind at 1-under par total 141.  Two players, South Korean and first round leader Na Yeon Choi and Italian Giulia Sergas are at even par.

rn

Wright&aposs round started with three consecutive pars before she missed the green on the par-3 4th resulting in a bogey.  She hit back straight away with a birdie on the 5th and recorded pars on the 6th, 7th and 8th holes.  The long par-3 9th saw Wright hit what she described as "the worst shot I&aposve ever hit on a par-3, it was a terrible shot" and into Saucon Valley Creek in front of the green. She managed to make a momentum-saving up and down from the drop zone to minimise the damage.  She made the turn at 1-over par and went on to post birdies on the 12th, 14th and 17th holes, with a bogey on the par-4 16th hole her only blemish on the back nine.

rn

Karrie Webb is the next best placed Aussie and was the only other ALPG Member to make the cut. Her round included four birdies and five bogeys and she sits at 5-over total for the tournament and tied 28th. 

rn

Wright and Webb are both in with a chance at winning the title as Rolex World No.1 player Lorena Ochoa showed today what can happen on this course.  Ochoa started the day at 2-under par after shooting an opening round of 69, carded an 8-over par 79 to fall from a tie for 2nd to a tie for 37th.

rn

The cut was made at 9-over par and 72 players will contest the final two rounds. Unfortunately ALPG Members Rachel Hetherington and Katherine Hull both missed the weekend payday.

rn

Photo by Paul Melville – Cristie Kerr